


Alone Together

by edenssunset



Category: Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: F/F, M/M, Will is an independent king!, byler, elmax - Freeform, gays are hella winning this time, stranger things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2020-06-25 11:58:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19745293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenssunset/pseuds/edenssunset
Summary: Its brought up to Will that he’s quite dependent on Mike. So when Will finally decided to take time for himself, he goes on a journey of discovering who he is and his place in the world.





	1. Byers.

**Author's Note:**

> I just made this out of spite, sksksk. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this out of spite sksksk enjoy!

Will Byers knows that he follows Mike like a lost puppy, always trying to remain attached to the hip as they did when they were kids. Of course, Will wants them to continue to be close and depend on each other. Will has always loved Mike, even when they were young. That hasn’t changed, and it certainly won’t now. Even when Mike has other priorities, that exclude him completely. 

After the events of the Upside Down and the Mindflayer, things have changed between the group. Lucas has Max, Dustin has Steve, and Mike has El while Will third wheeled every single time. The group had split up, growing and moving on from what had happened. Will can’t grow up, why? Was it because his childhood was ripped away from him and he just couldn’t value those moments anymore? He should be able to move on, it happened a while ago.. So why was he still bent up about it? 

Will wouldn’t be as upset as he is if it wasn’t for the fact that his friends seems to have become absolute jerks lately. “We’re not kids anymore,”Mike said to him once, along with other hurtful words that really set him off. 

So maybe it wasn’t Will’s right to insult El, he didn’t know her as well as he did and she definitely didn’t deserve to be called stupid. But Will knows he doesn’t deserve this treatment, friends should be friends no matter their relationship status with others. 

“I think you depend too much on Mike,”Max told him.

Out of the entire group, he certainly found himself closer to Max. She could relate to him on so many levels, they just connect so naturally. 

Will found himself thinking about that.

“What do you mean by that,”He asked, and he had a feeling he’d know what she’d say. 

“You depend on him too much, you can always rely on him even when he isn’t there for you. You let him walk all over you, and you’d still stick your neck out for him,”She told him. 

So that got Will thinking, he hadn’t realized how unhealthy his dependence on Mike was until she brought it up. 

Even when given the half ass apology, Will still forgave him and look forward to his future with him. But nothing has happened since then, no proper contact with Mike or anything. 

You expect him to come crawling back to you after his weak apology?

His stomach dropped.

“Do you think I depend too much on Mike?”He asked Jonathan, hoping to himself that it’s not true.. They’re friends, depending on each other is important! 

Jonathan looked at Will, “Honestly? Yes you do,”

That was it, that made Will snap into reality and really look into the past. It was always Will and Mike, but Will is starting to realize that it has always been Mike. Mike was the leader, and Will would follow him to the end. Mike had him wrapped around his finger, and now Will knows just how willing he was in the past to do whatever Mike wanted. 

“What should I do then?”

Jonathan looked at him, a sparkle of hope in his eyes. “It’s always been about Mike, so this time make it about you,”He said, while pointing his index finger on to Will’s chest. 

Will knew at that moment, he was going to go through a journey of self discovery.


	2. I Think We’re Alone Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Byers? Independent king? Bonding with El? Yes !!!

It had been a week since Will’s epiphany, realizing how attached he is to Mike. 

So what does he do? Distance himself away from him, not having spoken to him in quite a while. He continued on his own, eating outside by himself with nothing but his sketchbook and his disgusting school food. He always declined hanging out at the mall, he didn’t even bother to do much mentioning the dnd campaign because he remembers how that ended last time. 

Of course, someone took notice of this and confronted him about it.

“Why don’t you hang with us anymore?”Dustin asked.

Will should’ve told him the truth, entrusting him with everything because Dustin is his friend. Why would he turn away from that? He should tell him, right?

“I just want to be alone, Dustin. I need space,”

He didn’t tell him, he turned him away from the truth and Will knows that’ll add a dent into their friendship.

So that didn’t end well, because Dustin told the others and that certainly got them asking questions. Will refused to interact with them, so no questions were answered. 

Max knew though, she knows that ever since she’d told her the truth about his friendship with Mike. She supports him, she knows that he needs time to rethink their own relationship. So she doesn’t question it, not even when the others do so. 

With the group in shambles, Will started to feel a sense of relief and happiness. It wasn’t that he was unhappy around Mike, maybe at times when they fight but,

This was a whole new wave of enthusiasm.

Will felt free, without having to follow orders and hang out only when others feel like it. He wasn’t the second choice because he wasn’t going to let that be an option. He didn’t care if the group wanted to hang out with him, he made his mind up. 

Then there was the unexpected turn; his family moving and taking El with them. 

So days go by, packing and carrying heavy furniture consisted of most of those days. Will wasn’t sure how he felt about leaving his childhood home, but he does know it’s more time for himself; away from Mike. 

“Yeah, but what if you want to join another party?”

Will hesitates his words; it seemed impossible to even think about that, Will isn’t exactly a social person. Mike was the one that came up to him, he was the one that created their party and that’s why he was their leader. Will never did any of that, so finding another group of friends isn’t something he can do. 

“Not possible,”

Because he’s right, it’s not possible that he’d be able to form his own group and leave the old one behind. He didn’t have the strength to leave his old party, but he doesn’t have the social skills to create a new one either.

There is no win situation here. 

As Will looked out the window, passing by the signs, he noticed El staring at him. Eyes swirled with interest, with a form of sadness. Will didn’t want her to see him as just Mike's friend, so he smiled at her. 

“Why don’t we hang out once we get there?”

El returned his smile. 

-

They unpacked, chose their rooms, and Will followed El to the living room. The tv was playing some old film from the sixties, but Will completely blocked out the background noise. “I never actually got to formally talk to you,”He said to her. 

She agreed. 

The small conversation led on, and soon enough they were spilling secrets and laughing about whatever topic was mentioned. Will’s eyes sparkled; he understood now why Mike absolutely adores El, she’s super sweet and fun to be around. He felt guilty for calling her stupid before, because he knows now that she’s a lot more then meets the eye. 

El brought something up that made him flinch, 

“Why did you stop talking to Mike?”

That question sort of smacked him in the face, made him loss for words. He knows why, but he doesn’t know how to explain it to her. He didn’t want to sound silly, nor be laughed at. He told her anyway, 

“I’m too dependent on Mike,”He said. 

“I was too,” 

He looked at her, surprised by her words. 

“Max told me the same thing, ya know? That’s why I broke up with Mike, I wanted to be my own person.. You’re allowed to feel that way too,”

Will smiled at her, gripping the pillow that rests on his lap. 

“Kids, You should be in bed! It’s late already,”Joyce called from the second floor, presumably having walked out to check on them. 

They went their separate ways, and Will thought.. Maybe this won’t be so bad? 

Time goes by, El and Will become closer and use their summer to do whatever they please. Going to the arcade, having fun at conventions, and doing many things they couldn’t do back at Hawkins. 

So when it’s that time to attend school again, Will was disappointed to say the least, scared even. He’s going to only have El, no other friends among the new school. He felt unsure; he didn’t want to be made fun of, not did he want to feel left out.

They bought their supplies, backpacks and everything they needed. 

Will wasn’t sure what to feel, this is a totally new environment that he has to get used to. He had to adjust to the big city-like place that they live in, now he just has to adjust to a different school. 

He went to bed that night, unable to sleep. The students in Hawkins weren’t very open to new ideas, like.. Gay people. 

Will wasn’t sure what he identifies as, he’s still trying to figure himself out. He knows that his feelings for Mike weren’t platonic, so he definitely doesn’t identify as straight. Whatever it is, he hopes none of that comes back to haunt him in this new school. 

He was nervous enough going to said school, but upon seeing it made him faint. 

It was massive, taller and certainly wider than Will’s old school. Teens of different ethnic groups, social groups and all of that put into one large school. Will gulped down the anxiety that is slowly risen up, walking past other students and into the school.

The feeling of anxiety worsened, and the next thing he knew he was in the bathroom hunched over with blurred vision. 

“Woah buddy, are you okay?”

Will looked up, and through his blurred vision he saw spikes, black leather, and raven black hair. 

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and critiques are necessary! Thank you (:


	3. Give in to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is going to be original characters mentioned, I should add that byler is endgame.

Will was not expecting to make friends with a group of punk kids. 

He wasn’t expecting to make friends with anyone, period. That was until he met their leader, Mr. Long legs and dark attire. 

Also known as Frank Aveiro, self-proclaimed schools anarchist. 

“Hey, look at me bud. Breathe in, and out.. Go in sync with my breathing. Follow my lead,”

So Will did, feeling himself calm down in the grasp of this handsome dude. Will noticed immediately that he has pretty eyes, and staring at them made him feel much better. A light, caramel brown color that almost appeared as yellow. They sparkle with life, and Will starts realizing that brown is a really nice eye color. 

His heart fluttered. 

“Woah, do I have something on my face? Or are you surprised by my beauty?”

Will turned red, 

“You have really pretty eyes,”Will was surprised that he even had the confidence to say that, especially to this beautiful angel that’s been bestowed before him. 

“Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself. You have a pretty face,”

Is this what flirting feels like? Because it feels good, the compliments are making his confidence go up. Now he knows why all of his friends like to flirt, it’s a real confidence boost. 

“I’m Frank, it’s nice to meet you, uh..”

“Will, Will Byers,”

Will is starting to feel a lot more excited about school, especially if he gets to see this guy more often. He jumped when the bell rang, and he suddenly realized..

“Shit, we’re gonna be late! Can you take me to this class, I’m sort of lost,”

Frank smiled at him, and Will was thinking about every scenario in his head in which he can make this guy smile again. 

“Sure, we have the same class anyway,” 

Will followed him, similar to the way he followed Mike. Like a lost puppy, but this time it was Will who had the confidence to allow someone into his life. It was Will giving him an order to lead him, it was Will making the decisions. 

Will smiled to himself, remembering Mike’s words to him and his self doubt.

“What if you find another party?”

He told himself that it was impossible, but now he’s starting to think he doubted himself a bit too much. 

-

So yes, he wasn’t expecting to make any new friends and yet here he is. 

He talked with Frank most of their class periods, sharing some classes together. He learned that Frank is a political person, anti-capitalist, and a very chaotic bastard. Will straight up watched him eat gum from under the desk, it was horrifying. 

He also learned that Frank is childish, that despite being a year older than Will, he enjoys living like a kid. 

“I missed some parts of my childhood, I kind of want to relive those moments,”

Will felt himself feeling emotionally connected to Frank, because he can relate to that. Will had to spent the rest of his childhood in therapy, unable to live those moments where they played dnd together. 

Will’s crush on Mike is slowly leaving his mind, and his focus is on Frank. Frank Aveiro, Portuguese punk boy who insults the United States every chance he gets, never stands up for the pledge and is a hero in the eyes of his friends.

In Will’s eyes, he’s a hero and he finds himself thinking about Mike suddenly. 

Mike was once a hero in his eyes but after their fight, he hadn’t spoken to him. When Mike called, he always requested for El. If Mike talked to him on the phone, it was only because El wasn’t available. 

Will realized in some ways, Frank is similar to Mike. Except if Mike treated him with proper decency and talked to him as a friend would, not because he’s a second choice. 

Maybe Will is slightly connected to Frank because in some ways he’s kinda like Mike, but better. 

Maybe if Mike didn’t pull all of his care on romantic rather than platonic ones, Will wouldn’t be so salty. He wouldn’t think that Frank is what he deserves as a friend instead of Mike. 

Maybe Will needs to stop thinking about Mike too. 

He’s already working in the reliant aspect of their relationship, but it’s hard not to think about it. How he’s doing, what he’s doing or anything like that. 

Will decides to spend the next not thinking about him, and finds himself growing closer to Frank and his friends. He’s starting to like this new party, even when they’re in relationships they find time for Will. 

He’s met Jessica, the disaster lesbian girl. She openly flirts with girls and gives no fucks.

Then Yuki, a Japanese exchange student who likes to cook food for all of them. He’s the feisty one of the group. 

Last, the shy Hispanic girl Mira. Her intelligence level beats Dustin’s league of intelligence. 

Will noticed something they all have in common, and that’s being different in the eyes of the American society. 

Will starts to feel more comfortable with his sexuality. 

-

“How is Will?”

El pressed the phone against her ear, unsure how to respond. She could hear him laughing, and she smiled. “He’s well Mike, why do you ask?”

“He hasn’t spoken to me,”

Okay, she knows why. Will had every intention to distance himself from the old party, and she knows he has the right to. It’s his choice really, but she really wishes that Will took the time to fully resolve his past issues with his old friends. 

“Did he.. Find a new party?”

El winced at his tone of voice, a hopeful but scared tone that made her slightly nervous to respond. She knows that Mike will be devastated to hear that Will has found a new best friend, so she didn’t know how to respond without breaking Mikes heart. 

It’s either sugar coat it or rip the band aid off, and she can’t lie to him. 

“Yes,” 

The line went silent, she could hear Mikes breathing become slightly heavy. She was about to respond, but he beat her to it, 

“That’s.. Good to hear, I’m happy for him. Really,”

She can tell how strained Mikes voice became, and she knows he’s not too happy about the news. 

After their long conversation, she hung up and went over to check on Will. When she cracked open the door, she saw Will and Frank laughing and sharing a look. Their hands were close together, along with their faces. She watched them intently, never seeing Will this happy since she had met him. Her eyes widened when they started to lean in, lips pressing against each other.

Then, Jonathan walked in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is! Thank you for reading! Also to add, the pro capitalist propaganda was unnecessary, so here I am being a little anti-capitalist shit svdbfb


	4. Unknown Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A mix into wills personality and how he improves! Enjoy!

Mike had noticed the lack of communication between him and Will. 

He starts to hear how emotionless Will sounds when they talk, tone lacking any enthusiasm he use to have whenever he saw or spoke to Mike. The same excitement Will had for Mike was slowly disappearing, and Mike already knows why.

He had just got off the phone with El, being informed that Will found a new group of friends. He found a new best friend, replacing him. Someone he can tell stories with, talk to on the phone at night, and go out together to play games.

El explained who they were; a group of punk kids who like to trash the school and get into fights. 

Mike scoffed at that; there is NO way Will would hang out with a crowd like that, he’s a rather sensitive kid. “It’s true though, he’s especially close with their leader,”She told him, and suddenly he felt his head spin. Especially close? What’s that supposed to mean? 

“I saw them Mike.. They kissed,” 

To be quite honest, Mike really wasn’t sure about how he should react to this new information. He knew that Will had possessed feelings for him, and Mike didn’t judge him for that. However, he felt guilty when he threw that information back in Wills face.

It made Mike really think, maybe Will was trying to push Mike away. To replace him with a new best friend who won’t use his sexuality against him, won’t treat him like a burden and care for his well being. Maybe this is good for Will, he doesn’t have to worry about being pushed away or put down simply because of ones selfishness.

The thought leaves a bitter taste in Mikes mouth. 

Mike talked to El for a little while, before sending their goodbyes to each other and going off to bed. Mike was having trouble sleeping, thinking about his best friend. Will is a shy kid, he lets other people lead for him and he agrees with anything his friends says because he doesn’t feel like forming his own opinion on things. Will is dependent on his friends, he doesn’t really think for himself.

Mike hopes that this new group doesn’t take advantage of that.

-

“Woah, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to..”

Jonathan backed away quickly from the room, silently shutting the door. Will could hear his frantic footsteps, and Will laughed quietly to himself. Frank blushed, and leaned into Will with a shy smile. Will has never made anyone feel shy, and he’s excited by the thought that he had the skills to be able to do that. “I should get home before my papa kicks my ass,”Will frowned, intertwining their fingers together.

“Why don’t you stay?”

“Will, I can’t..”

Will gave a confident smile, eyes mischievous and that alone was enough to make Frank want to stay another hour. 

They talked a lot, mostly about politics and all of that. “I wish.. That we as gay men don’t have to worry about the public trying to hide us,”Frank spoke confidently, and Will agreed confidently. 

Will always agreed with Mike, even when he disagreed with him. But with Frank, he genuinely felt that he could express his opinion any time he wanted. 

Will really likes Frank, the punk teenager had crawled his way into his heart and put himself into it. Will had grown so fond of him, he couldn’t really express it with words.

So Will passionately kissed Franks pierced lips, and he swore that this was boosting his ego a little bit. “Man you are a bad kisser,”

Ouch, low blow to the ego.

“Shut up, this is my first time,”Will snickered, and Frank laughed. Frank stood up, kissing Will’s cheek and grabbing his leather jacket. Will watched him jump out the window and run into the night.

El came in, noticing that the room was completely empty now. Her eyes quickly traveled to Will’s bright smile and lit up eyes, as if he had seen the most  
amazing thing to ever exist.

He didn’t see the most amazing thing to ever exist, he felt it.

-

Will started to take more control then he ever had.

He made the first move towards Frank, he took a position as a leader to their group because he knows that Frank stumbles a lot and the position makes him nervous. Will felt powerful, he helped his friends out in bad situations and defended them with his entire being.

He felt like he was leading a rebellion, he felt strong and righteous. Whenever his friends were being pushed around, Will was there to fight back. He pretty sure he’s gotten suspended several times defending them! 

Will also doesn’t shy away from his friends doing things for him, because he felt that he wasn’t worth the time and effort. 

But when Frank got him a gift for his birthday, he cherished it and kept it somewhere special. 

Will never saw himself becoming one to lead, but here he was doing just that. 

Yet.. It wasn’t complete.

Yes, Will has the biggest confidence boost and he felt that he wasn’t super dependent on others as he used to be. He was able to be himself around important people, he should FEEL complete.

But he didn’t.

He knows deep down one problem involves his old friends, and he’s guilty for it. He can’t remember the last time he had spoken to Mike, or the last time he has spoken to Lucas, Dustin or Max. 

Will was so deep in this new version of himself that he forgot about his old friends, people who are important to him. 

“You okay?” 

He felt like Yuki could read his mind or something, because he turned to see the Asians serious look. Will shivered, and gripped his sleeve with a bite of his lip. 

“I don’t know,”He replies, and he genuinely means it. 

There wasn’t much resolve to this feeling, Will knew it deep down unless he got his head out of his ass and talked to his old friends.

Will smiled to himself, yeah! That’s exactly what he will do! He will talk to his old friends, explain everything and hopefully they’ll understand.

So that night, he contemplated everything until his mom walked in. “Honey, you need to clean your room. We’re having your friends come tomorrow!”

His friends? 

Yuki is going to a wedding,

Jessica is visiting family,

Mira is working,

And Frank has a family dinner tomorrow.

Oh..

OH.

“Mike will be so happy to see you again! Don’t forget to clean!”

Will felt anxious, he wasn’t sure how his friends would react to his new look. It had been six months, and Will had changed a lot. Shorter hair, leather jackets, tight black pants and a nose ring. 

And personality wise, Will has definitely changed.

This is a moment to talk to his friend and Will is honestly happy to be able to see them again 

He will clean this damn room, and ready himself for tomorrow.


End file.
